The spokesperson of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Maria Zakharova, has spread disinformation by claiming that the implementation of Kosovo’s Law on Foreigners “declares Serbs foreigners” and “prohibits them from staying longer than three days.”
These claims were further amplified by the Russian propaganda outlet Sputnik Srbija, as well as other pro-regime media in Serbia, which echoed her statement alleging that “Kurti is pushing ethnic cleansing.”
What Did Zakharova Claim?
“Mockery of the rights of Serbs has just begun. Prime Minister Kurti, who has been pampered by the West—to put it mildly, spoiled by allowing him everything—has announced that on March 15 the so-called Law on Foreigners will begin to be implemented, which prohibits all those who do not have Kosovo citizenship or residence permits from staying in the province for more than three days.
In this way, Serbs who live in their historical territories, work, and study there are practically declared foreigners,” Maria Zakharova stated.
Analysis
Zakharova is spreading disinformation by claiming that the Law on Foreigners “prohibits stays longer than three days” for persons without Kosovo citizenship.
In reality, the law does not prohibit residence, but only introduces a registration requirement. Foreign nationals are allowed to stay in Kosovo for up to 90 days within a 180-day period, without a visa or special permit.
According to the official legal text, the law regulates the entry, movement, stay, and exit of foreigners from the territory of Kosovo. A foreigner is defined as any person who is not a citizen of the Republic of Kosovo.
Zakharova also falsely claims that the law targets Serbs with the aim of “declaring them foreigners.” In fact, the law applies equally to all persons who do not possess Kosovo-issued documents, regardless of ethnic background.
Serbs living in Kosovo who hold Kosovo identification documents—an arrangement предусмотрed and agreed upon under the Brussels Dialogue—are not affected by this law.
Additionally, the law introduces the category of “daily migrants” (Article 3.1.6), referring to individuals who live in central Serbia and enter Kosovo daily for work or education purposes.
Source: The Geo Post
